They Carved Your Name into My Arm

They carved your name into my arm,

I hoped you’d be my lucky charm.

My body shakes, I’m wracked with pain,

I won’t ever do this again.

 

No wonder I was in alarm,

They carved your name into my arm.

My body drained, I’m feeling sick;

Immunoglobulin went quick.

 

As time goes by I feel the itch,

To get another pigment stitch.

They carved your name into my arm,

But now the pain I can disarm.

 

And soon I want you everywhere,

So back into that inky lair.

My body now feels far less harm,

They carved your name into my arm.

 

 

This is a Quatern, written about this piece of research, which found that whilst the stress associated with initial tattoos resulted in levels of immunoglobulin A dropping significantly (and therefore weakening the immune system), repeated visits actually lessened this effect, with the body responding more quickly, and levels of immunoglobulin A dropping less considerably. It has thus been hypothesized that getting multiple tattoos could potentially build up your immune system. BUT, before running off to the tattoo parlour, it is important to note that the sample size of this study was small (29 participants), with a relatively uniform demographic (young, white, educated, middle-class, and predominantly female).

An audio version of this poem can be heard here.